What did you do for Christmas? What are your family traditions? Malcolm and Tana discuss their traditions over the years, and what can be exciting and depressing about Christmas and the holiday season.
Hi.
Malcolm:Jingle Bells. Jingle Bells
Tana:You're not really a Christmas song person, so that was surprising. No, although that explains the lack of oomph. Jingle
Malcolm:Bells Batman smells.
Tana:Oh my gosh. Yeah. So, um, Merry Christmas.
Malcolm:And a Happy New Year, but that's next episode.
Tana:Yeah. So, I mean, I guess when this airs, it's going to actually be like two days after Christmas. Yes. Yeah. But we're recording ahead of time because we're traveling for Christmas, so we won't be able to include any of our actual Christmas stories from this year in it, if anything funny happens, which would be sad.
Malcolm:We can always share holiday stories after New Year's if we have funny ones.
Tana:That's true. So, if we actually get our act together, we could also make a video and put it on social media. That's true. But, we never remember to do these things. No.
Malcolm:I just have, uh. Very big dislike for social media, which is very bad for someone working in the arts. Mm hmm. So Uh huh. Yep. Because if you're working in the arts, you basically need a social media presence.
Tana:That's, um, it was a relief to me, though, in your teenage years, because that was fewer things I had to worry about. Fair enough.
Malcolm:Yeah. I just don't see the appeal.
Tana:You know, that's interesting.
Malcolm:I'd say Christmas time is a little, like, I feel like around holidays social media can be cool because you see a lot of, like, cool decorations or, like, for the, you see a lot of cool Christmas lights or people will do those, like, coordinated, uh, music with the Christmas lights. Yeah, yeah, I like those. And so social media is really cool for the, for those things, but social media sometimes is like, pfff.
Tana:So this is where I wish that this was like a live YouTube show or something, because, um, I want to talk about Christmas traditions and the things we like and dislike about, uh, Christmas or, or other holidays around this time of year. Um, but I would really love, I really want to be like, you know, call in, let us know, like, what's your tradition. But like, I can't do that because, you know, nobody is here but us. Dad. Huh? I said, just comment. That's true. We can ask. That's, that's true. We could ask people, but it'll be like app. Well, we could tell them, ask them, ask them to tell our story, their stories after Christmas. That was a whole train
Malcolm:of emotions there. Yeah. Um. No, I actually like the idea of us doing episodes where we just like talk about people's comments and stories that they've shared to us, because we've, we've gotten a couple
Tana:now, so, yeah, um, yeah, mostly they're verbal to me. Um, oh, uh, your aunt, uh, texted me and said, thanks for the shout out. And then she said, then she sent a picture and she's like, are these the candy canes you were looking for? And I was like, yes, I can't find them around here. And she was like, I got a box for you. So when we go back. So Pennsylvania, those will be waiting for us. I mean, it's not surprising because they're
Malcolm:Hershey's candy canes. Yeah. We love the Hershey candy canes. Like the chocolate mixed with the peppermint is so good.
Tana:There's something that your other aunt really wants from Chocolate World. There's something that they only sell at Chocolate World. I don't remember what it is, but, um, I will have to ask her and if we feel up for it, maybe we'll all go to Chocolate World and then I can get
Malcolm:her that stuff. I would totally be down. Chocolate World, like, It's like, so yeah, it's, it's like chocolate world or whatever, but they also got really good junk food
Tana:There. Oh, you mean like the kind of like restaurant y kind of things? Yeah,
Malcolm:the one place sells like a giant pretzel. It's delicious
Tana:Yeah, they have a giant pretzel?
Malcolm:Yeah. Okay, and they have three sauces that come with it. What? Yeah.
Tana:Okay, so I, um, and I promise we'll get to chocolate, chocolate traditions. We'll get to Christmas. I mean, it's basically the same Freudian slip, but no, but part of our Christmas tradition is going back to Pennsylvania where I grew up right outside of Hershey. I even worked at Hershey park. So this all, I swear it all connects. Um, if
Malcolm:we're building our own MCU here,
Tana:just, yes, yes, no. Okay. So if they have a giant pretzel, then we definitely want to do that because your dad and I just started a thing where we're going to rate pretzels at different restaurants. Um, we don't know yet where we're going to do this. I don't know if it'll just be like on Tik Tok or something, but
Malcolm:you got to do it. You got to go to mommy bay brew club.
Tana:That was our first one. We did that and they have, they have a seasonal sweet dip for the pretzel. That was amazing. We'll see. It was so good.
Malcolm:I
Tana:don't like sweet dips very much. Oh, I do. I, yeah. But anyway, so we, I mean, your dad and I came up with this whole rubric, like, and it has to include mouth feel. Oh gosh. In a note. Are you bringing a spit bucket in? That's why it's so dynamica I need to get a video of you like chewing up a pretzel and like spitting it in a bucket and then be like, hmmm. But we're doing a it only has a 4 for
Malcolm:mouth feel.
Tana:But anyway, so yeah, we'll definitely have to go if there's giant pretzel there. That's another one we can rate.
Malcolm:I mean, if you have autism, that is a very real
Tana:thing. Actually, probably. But no, you know what, we did kind of laugh about it, like, joking about mouthfeel because of Charles Boyle from Brooklyn 99 yeah, yeah, of course. Um, but there is a, like, it kind of is a thing,
Malcolm:you know? It is. I mean, people don't eat stuff because they don't like the
Tana:texture of it sometimes. Right, yeah, I'm very, I have a very texture sensitive mouth, if that makes sense. I think it sounds
Malcolm:dirty. Hey, you're the one who made it sound dirty. Um, no, but the one at Chocolate World is very good, but I also like it because they have some of the freshest, The candies
Tana:from Hershey. Oh yeah, yeah. Makes
Malcolm:a difference. It goes straight from the Hershey factory. Yeah.
Tana:Directly into the chocolate world. And that was, that was something, those are the best. I was spoiled with fucking
Malcolm:Twizzlers I'll ever eat. Right, right. Okay. Two times a year that I'll spoil myself on Red Dye 40 is at Chocolate World and Halloween
Tana:Yeah. Um. I got spoiled on that because I lived right next to Hershey and then we come out here and I'm like, why does it not taste as good? Like, you know, but, um, yeah, your dad, your, your dad, my dad, your grandfather, um, did photography for Hershey foods for a while. Yeah. And, um, I think I've already told you this, that he had Twizzlers right hot. Off the line, like, and he was like, they just melt in your mouth. They're amazing. They're like a whole different candy. And I'm like, Oh, that's so cool.
Malcolm:I, I really want companies to start selling like, at least cause like Sour Patch Kids, you can customize your order and now get a bag of your own candy that has only the ones that you want in it. Oh, M& M's does that too. Yeah. I want, I want them to do that, but allow you to buy a dyes in it. Because it still tastes the same. It just has no dyes, and so it's healthier for you.
Tana:Oh, interesting. Do you think they sell? Have you looked? They might sell them somewhere. Skittles might, because they do the They, yeah, they do the no rainbow Yeah, like the rainbow
Malcolm:is in hours this This
Tana:month. Yeah.
Malcolm:Yeah. It's just one of the, one of the best Things around that time, honestly,
Tana:is Skittles thing. Except for you don't know what flavor you're getting if they're all
Malcolm:It's like getting those mystery lollipops that are just
Tana:white. Yeah, and you don't know what they are. Um, so you can't like That would be way worse with Starburst, um, because I only like the pink and red Starbursts. Orange is good too. All the ones are, the Skittles are good. Anyway, so yeah, so we're, we're going to do that. So we head back to Pennsylvania each year because that's where I grew up and that's where my parents and my brother and, well, pretty much my entire family are. Yeah. Except for the ones that live in Jersey. Um, well, there's still a few in New York too, but, um, but yeah, uh, I think, um, It's, it's a little sad, I have to say, getting older because the, when you're younger, you have like, most of the time, you have like the same tradition over and over and over for like. 18 Christmases. You know what I mean? Like it was always Christmas Eve at my parents house and everybody would come there. And then Christmas day, although this didn't, this only happened for like a handful of years, Christmas day, we would go to, um, my dad's parents house. Um, and we would have like Christmas dinner and stuff over there. But that kind of ended at some point. I don't know why. Um, and then it became Christmas day was go to the movies. Like everybody would go to the movies. Oh
Malcolm:yeah. I remember seeing some of the new star Wars movies.
Tana:Yeah. Yeah. And then just like, you know, as people, And then, uh, the kids have their own kids and people move. And, uh, you know, it's just like things change.
Malcolm:Yeah. This year I won't even be there on Christmas. I'll be there the day
Tana:after. Right. Um, which is, you know, that happens. Like people, when they meet significant others, you split your time between families and, you know, that's, that's. It's how it works. And, um, and it's okay, but you know, it's just kind of sad cause you know, so many people have died over the years that Christmas Eve is just a tiny little gathering now, you know, and, um, mom and dad just don't have as much energy and, um, yeah, I don't know. So there's, there's a sadness I feel each year at Christmas, like, cause it's just each year there's like a little bit more loss. You know, you know, uh, we experienced that last year with June, our dog, uh, and my Uncle Brad dying both right before, well not right before Christmas, but, um, around Christmas. Well, Uncle Brad died in like, June. Oh, yeah, his but his his memorial thingy wasn't until like October or November. Yeah So that's why I keep thinking that was when that happened. But yeah, so So yeah, there's a little bit of sadness And so I think like in a way that makes me want to hold on to some kind of traditions Because it's like, I feel like I need some stability. You know what I mean? Like, like I want some stability at the holiday. It sucks
Malcolm:as well because it's not like you can start hosting it here because mom, mom and pop pop can't. Drive down here every year.
Tana:Right, and well, are Jason and Kathy gonna come? Whoops, I meant, I don't ever mean to say names. Are my brother and sister in law going to, like, you know, are they going to come? No, well, you know, uh, she wants to be with her family, too, and they're in Pennsylvania, and, you know, like, like, um, you know, they took over for Thanksgiving, you know, a few years ago, uh, when it was just, like, too much. Um Uh, for my mom. And, uh, so like that makes sense. And I think that's what I always imagined too. Like, Oh, at some point I'll be the one hosting. And then we moved away, you know, and that just really, really throws a wrinkle in things. Um, and so it saddens me this time of year, you know, as much as I love Toledo and I love the people we've met out here and everything, like I get, I get sad around the, you know, the holidays of like that. Just being able to like pop over, you know? Yeah. So anyway, we tried to do some, some traditions with you, but then things kept changing. Cause like, there were a couple of times that, uh, my parents came out, um, at Christmas to see us. I remember that. There were a couple of times that that happened. Um, and then we tried to do different things with you, but then like we always ended up going to Pennsylvania and then it just sort of ended up not really being a thing. Um, but
Malcolm:I've never been one for traditions anyway.
Tana:I mean, I guess that's true. You're not really, yeah, but I don't know. I don't know if you would have. Well, I think, I think that's one of the reasons why we started doing Hanukkah together. It's like, that was kind of our little thing for a while. Um, I don't think you were too upset about it because it meant you got a present every day for eight days. Even if sometimes it was like, here's a pack of gum! Yeah. You're welcome, son.
Malcolm:That was fine enough for me, honestly. Yeah. I was probably happy with that pack of gum.
Tana:You actually were, very much were. Uh, but yeah, so. I was a very
Malcolm:simple
Tana:child. You, you were. I mean, simple depending on your definition of simple, uh, but you were, you were pretty easy. You weren't. You know, you were pretty easy to please. You, you were never temper tantrum y, like, you were never like, um, what was Harry Potter, Dudley, his, yeah, he was like, last year I had 33 presents, you know, like, you were never anything like that. But, um But yeah, I feel like each Christmas season just feels a little bit more hectic. And I, and I feel this weird thing, like I didn't get to do that many Christmassy things this year, but I'm also like, I don't like leaving the house.
Malcolm:You know, you gotta find Christmasy things to do in here, especially now that you know, you have Shelby. Shelby would probably wanna just come upstairs and do a gingerbread house or something quickly. Oh.
Tana:I should go get some gingerbread houses. Yeah, there you go. Uh, yeah. I mean, um, I specifically asked her to go shopping with me to get Christmas stuff and then she helped me put up the tree and stuff. So that was nice. Um, but I haven't figured out, I'm like, I'm not a big cookie person. Like I don't make, I don't do the whole bake a bunch of cookies, you know, but one thing I do make sure I get do is at least a couple nights I go out and just drive around and look at Christmas lights.
Malcolm:Yeah, I remember us doing that a lot as well. Um, both in Pennsylvania and here.
Tana:Yeah. Yeah. Oh, and uh, in Blacksburg. Yep. Yeah, I remember a couple busy lighted places. yeah. There.
Malcolm:Um, but yeah, yeah, it was always cool to go to my friend's house and, uh, down, I think one of their neighbors. always had like some extravagant Christmas thing and since I went to his house like every week I could always see it. So
Tana:it was cool. The house right across from your uncle's in Pennsylvania, it always has like looks like Christmas threw up on them. It's also
Malcolm:fun being here in Toledo around Christmas, for some people. I personally don't like it, but it's for lights before Christmas at
Tana:the zoo. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. That's another thing. I try to make sure I go to the lights. They have
Malcolm:one of the, one of the or the biggest Christmas tree in the country. I
Tana:would not be shocked if it was the largest because it is freaking tall. It's bigger than Rockefeller Center. It is, yeah, it's bigger. I remember I was so excited. I went to um, When I, when I worked at EJ USA and we had a retreat and it was in New Jersey, but I took the train into New York and walked around Manhattan and I was so excited because it was like December 4th, I think was like when we were out there. But they always still
Malcolm:have all that Christmas stuff. Oh my
Tana:gosh, they put that stuff up early, yeah. And, um Uh, and it was like, I got to see the little thing at Saks Fifth Avenue, which is a coordinated light show with music and stuff. And then, um, I watched some people like skating and, you know, I went to different things, just like looking at all the decorations. And I was like, Oh my gosh, I'm going to go see the tree at Rockefeller Center. And I went there and I was like, That's it. I was so disappointed.
Malcolm:I mean like this tree literally makes up the tree line of the area. Like it's taller than all the trees in the park next to here and everything so you can see it past everything
Tana:else. Yeah I think the um, the year I went so um, the uh, So, Rockefeller Center, the thing is, is it's not like there's a tree that was planted there and it keeps growing each year. They ship something in. Yeah, yeah. That's what they did with this tree, I'm pretty sure. Oh, I don't know. I don't know. It's been there a very long time. Um, but I remember the tree, like, it was like 20 feet shorter. The one at Rockefeller Center that, um, uh, Okay, so, I did a quick Google search. Um, and, and, the first thing that came up was a, a Facebook post from the zoo in 2012, and it says it's more than 85 feet tall, and that was 12 years ago, so, or 11 years ago. So it's gotta be, it's gotta be over 90 feet now, maybe? I don't know
Malcolm:how trees work, so. Yeah, how
Tana:fast, how fast do trees go? Maybe I'm being, maybe I'm exaggerating, but I could have sworn somebody told me it was over 90 feet. Um. But, yeah, anyway. Um, well, in 2021 they were still saying it's an 85 foot Norway Spruce, so I don't know. But anyway, yeah, um, that's one of the things I really like is. Looking at the, the lights that I can see from my window at the zoo. And I'm always really sad the day they turn them off, that I'm just like, awww. And then I'm like depressed for January and February, cause it's just, it's sad.
Malcolm:It was funny working there too, cause I would notice that like, They would be taking them down all the way until March and then start putting them back up again in June. And I'm like, that's like two months, man. Just like leave it
Tana:up at that point. I know. I see them putting them on in the summer and I'm like, dang, they have to start early. They do leave some of them
Malcolm:up. Do they? Yeah. Because I mean, what's the point? Well, I might as well just leave
Tana:them. Maybe they only take down ones that are possibly like. They're in the way of something that can be, you know what I mean? Yeah. Um, but yeah, yeah. So lights, lights as a tradition. Um, do you, I mean, I know you're not like a really a holiday person, um, but do you have any like, Christmas traditions that you like like that you or that you even just look forward to because it's
Malcolm:You know, I mean seeing people is always nice Obviously getting presents is always nice No, I mean I think it's just as simple as that,
Tana:really. Are there any Christmas foods that you, or treats or anything that you're like, Ooh, yeah, so and so always makes this, this time of year.
Malcolm:I mean, we always have the monogata. Oh, yeah. Every year. Monogata's delicious, especially with the meatballs.
Tana:Oh, yeah.
Malcolm:Um.
Tana:Definitely. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know, do you
Malcolm:like But, I mean, that, um, that's basically when we go to Momma and Pop Pop's. That's not necessarily because of Christmas. Yeah.
Tana:Yeah. Hmm. Yeah, I mean, I know, I know you're, um, I know Shelby gets excited about pumpkin spice coming out in the fall. Uh.
Malcolm:I do like my peppermint drinks, but I just make them here at home now, so. Yeah, so you can have it all year round, really. Although, I'm debating getting some, like. Uh, cookie crumble, and then using your peppermint crumble stuff that you always get, and making my own, uh, coffee free peppermint mocha. So, I don't know. I guess that's just like Peppermint hot chocolate. Yeah, but it's also got the cookie crumble in it. I don't know if there's a specific I don't know. It's just a very fancy hot chocolate,
Tana:I guess. Yeah, I guess. Yeah, it's a super fancy
Malcolm:hot chocolate. Cause we also got those stirring sticks. Those peppermint stirring
Tana:sticks. Yes, I've been enjoying those. They're good. Yeah. Yeah, I really I think for me, um, One of the things I most enjoy about Christmas is just the decorations. Decorations
Malcolm:are cool. I just I would never put them up. It's too much of a hassle to put them all up and then take them all down. Same thing with Halloween.
Tana:Yeah, I, um, it's funny because I get really impatient if I go into a neighborhood and there's not a lot of lights up, but then I don't put lights up because I don't have the time or energy to put the lights up. I'm hoping next year, what I really want to do is. Just tear out all these random bushes that we have and put in evergreen bushes and then I can just get those lights that are like a net that you put over the bush and then I can just be
Malcolm:done with it, you know? You could also, uh, just, you could also go hardcore like our one neighbor over here does where they just have the full black house and they already have like Halloween stuff out year round and then on Halloween it like explodes even more. Yeah,
Tana:yeah. Yeah, but no, I think that's one of the things I really enjoy is driving around and looking at the lights. I don't even necessarily have to have like a light show that's coordinated. I just, I just really like seeing everything brightened up and it, so it makes me sad when we get past the new year. Maybe, maybe a few houses will keep stuff up for a few weeks, but then they stop putting them up and then it's just dreary. Like it's winter time, there's not as much light, you know, and I think that's what makes me, makes me sad. You just had all this light and then all of a sudden it's just like womp womp. I think
Malcolm:it's probably January's. It's usually considered one of the most depressing months. Yeah,
Tana:you just came off this high of like, all the holidays and celebrations and There's just nothing
Malcolm:that goes on and it's just, it's cold, it's still dark outside, it's like, for some people it's December because Christmas is like, is not that great of a holiday for them. True, yeah, there are people who have I wonder for them if January's better or if it's just worse because it's just continued silence but without lights as well. Yeah, I don't know. But in January just like Has nothing going on. And then February, I feel like at one point, February feels dull as well, and then at some point it just explodes, and it's suddenly like, it's the new year, and I'm like, what is happening? In February? Yeah, cause in February it's like, all of a sudden, it's Valentine's Day, or All of a sudden there's this event that's happening at this one place. Like it always feels so sudden to me, but January always feels so dull. I
Tana:think the other thing that kind of makes it feel dull and sad is that there's not a lot going on because the weather. Outside is frightful. That is true. Um, but because we're not in a more temperate area, like, you know, Southern California. That's true. Um, we never know if we're going to suddenly get like a giant blizzard or if it's just going to be cold. We've gotten multiple of those. Yeah. And so it's like, you don't want to People might get snowed in, you know, and so you don't want to do that. I guess some people get excited around the Super Bowl. I guess that's kind of a
Malcolm:Yeah. Also, like, I feel like the zoo, like we were talking about the zoo being this really hyped thing for Christmas. And it's like this huge thing. Thousands of people, tens of thousands of people come every day. Yeah. And then January, it's a glorified park.
Tana:Yeah. Well, they have that ice fest thing, which is interesting, but they'll do
Malcolm:a couple things here and there to keep up funding. But yeah, any, any time that I was with the managers or anything like that at the zoo, it was always, they're always guessing under when they would guess under even or over of attendance. Um, for how much money they're going to make versus,
Tana:Oh yeah. Yeah. That's rough. It's rough when you have something that's, you know,
Malcolm:that's why there's like nothing happening in at the zoo because nobody's going to come. Well
Tana:that's why, um, not because specifically about the zoo, but because January is depressing. That's why I tried to start with you joyous January when you were younger. Oh yeah. I remember that. Yeah. Cause it was like, this is such a depressing month, so let's make it purposefully not depressing. And so we did things like, uh, we always did our gingerbread houses after the new year because I never had time during Christmas. Do you
Malcolm:know another thing I bet? Christmas is such a great time of the year and everything like that. Cause you're also out of school and then January you start back up to school.
Tana:Yeah. Yeah. So you'd start back up to school. I'd start back up to school
Malcolm:depending on the year. Shelby is usually happy about that, which. But she's just crazy. That's
Tana:funny. Well, I was, I liked it too, but you're just, you guys are just weird. Okay. Um, but yeah, uh, and we did, we would do the thing where we reflect on the last year and like, what were the best things that happened and you know, what do we hope for this year? One of my favorite things ever was, um, this, when we were in Blacksburg and Because, you know, I was working on my PhD, um, it was, you know, around, heading up to the holidays was just like, Oh, I have to write a million papers and, you know, take tests and like, it was just awful. Um, so Write 90 pages. Yeah, it was. Yeah. So, um, so we waited until after the new year to do our gingerbread houses and you could not get yours to work and you were getting like super frustrated with it. And so we just decided to make it, we just decided to. Smash it and then put the Hulk
Malcolm:on there. One of my Hulk figurines in it. Yes, one of your Hulk
Tana:figurines. And so it was Hulk smash gingerbread house.
Malcolm:That's still one of the best gingerbread houses
Tana:we've ever made. People loved it. They're like, that is so clever. And I'm like, it was a last resort to keep my son from crying.
Malcolm:But
Tana:yeah, but that's one of my, that's one of my favorite memories, um, of is. But, um, I think, I think in a way Christmas always has had a tinge of, Sadness for me too because from like the bulk of our marriage we were always like too poor to really enjoy it. Like we, it was stressful. I still enjoyed it. Well I, we always made sure that you got gifts and plus I mean everybody else would get you gifts and like you know but we felt sad if we couldn't really give you anything great. Though we were really grateful that my parents would spoil the heck out of you. Um, uh, but I always felt like guilty and stressed out about getting gifts for my parents and my family, my side of the family, because we always did a gift exchange on Christmas Eve. And you know, like my brother would do something like get us all Google homes, you know? And I'd be like, okay, I think, I think that year I made like. Natural home cleaning products or something. Like, you know what I mean? Like, and I, and I I always was grateful because also your uncle is like a fantastic gift giver. I don't know where he gets that, but like he is, that insinuates that my parents are not great gift givers. They are good gift givers, but I'm just, it's just, it's just kind of surprising to me. I don't know why. Um, and so he always gives the best gifts and so I'm like super grateful for them, but then I feel guilty because I'm not getting him something that good. It just makes me
Malcolm:think of the scene from Schitt's Creek. Where, um, uh, the dad got, I forget what her name was that ran the motel. But I gave her a, a makeup kit and she was like, Oh my God, am I ugly? Does he think I'm ugly? And it was like, no, no, no, no. Don't worry. He's just terrible at giving
Tana:gifts. Yeah. So it just, I don't know. I was just always made me stressed out that we couldn't give to people in the way that they were giving to us, you know? So that just always stressed me out.
Malcolm:I don't know. I. Man, I definitely had to take that in stride one year because I did the Secret Santa thing for my job and it was under, it was supposed to be under like 15, not even like 20 or something. And I
Tana:So they were like, supposed to be like little gifts. Yeah,
Malcolm:and I was, of course, one of the last people to go. So every, so like this one person got like a whole bottle of liquor of some sort. I got like a shirt, candy, and uh, like this wooden Oh, I remember that. Not like a poster, but like thing to put on the wall and everything like that. Probably totaled to like 30 to 50 dollars or something like that and that was like how everyone was and I got someone a plushie And just the silence and look of disappointment that there was I was like I was like, this is what I get for following the rules. But you're like, I actually followed the directions, man. I know. I was probably the only one that got something under
Tana:15. That's, like, we did a, um If you're not gonna do it, why do you say it? Right, yeah. We did, so we did a white elephant for a while in our little community group that was definitely, like, give joke gifs, and everybody pretty much followed that rule. And there was always, but there was always, like, one thing people fought over. Oh yeah, of course. You know, and it would be, like, something ridiculous, and those were some of my favorite. Christmas memories, honestly, because they would always end up being hilarious because somebody would always put something really ridiculous in there that everybody would, you know, I think, I think one of the years it was like a golden toilet piggy bank or something. Like, I don't remember, but there were some weird things. The banana hammock. The banana hammock. Yes. But, um. But when I first, I had never heard of that kind of gift exchange where like, you know, you can either choose a new gift or steal from someone else and like, you know, all this stuff. And, um, we did one of those for our work Christmas party. And this was when I was working at the symphony. So I would say
Malcolm:this would have had been a while ago. Cause I remember doing the white elephant gift exchange on Hanover. And that was when I was, like, seven,
Tana:so Yeah, this, um, this was before you were born. And, um, that time did exist. Woah. Woah. Um, and it was really funny because everybody was getting these, like, sophisticated gifts. You know what I mean? Like, there were like fancy, all kinds of like fancy chocolates and like, so somebody got like a bottle of wine and like, you know what I mean? Like there were all these things, right? And the thing I freaking ended up with out of all these beautiful gifts was that stupid fish that hung on the wall and would stick its head out and start singing.
Malcolm:That's amazing. That's probably one of the only ones I actually would have wanted.
Tana:And I was trying so hard not to show it, but I have zero poker face. So I'm pretty sure the guy who like put that in was like, yeah, she hates that. But you mean, you know, somebody stole whatever I ended up and gave me that, you know? So yeah.
Malcolm:No, I love White Elephant Gift Exchanges for joke reasons. I think doing it for serious reasons just leads to, to.
Tana:Yeah. I think, I think you have to go into it with the idea that it is a joke thing and then it's super fun. Yeah. Like it's super fun. Yeah.
Malcolm:Um, cause I mean there will always be that person that gets like the serious thing or the expensive thing or
Tana:something like that. Yeah. I mean, there's always going to be like one really nice gift in there, you know, at least, you know, but um, yeah.
Malcolm:Somebody will make a joke about something and then all of a sudden the most important thing will become the 3 present That was right chosen at the very beginning. Yeah.
Tana:Yeah. Yeah So I think I think they're fun as long as everybody's in the right spirit for that, you know Oh, yeah,
Malcolm:that's definitely something you have to go into.
Tana:Yeah, you have to make sure everybody It's okay. Um, and not mess up things at the last minute, like, um, on the office when they had secret Santa's. And then at the last minute, they decided to make it like a white elephant. Oh yeah. And Jim was like, cause he had Pam. But, um, anyway, so, so yeah, um, I know this can be a difficult time of the year, like holidays are difficult if you've lost a loved one because then you're like, Oh, we're celebrating this holiday and this person isn't here. You know what I mean? And then I know holidays are difficult for people who like, they went no contact with their parents or their parents are just Eggs. Yeah, that, that, that covers it. Um, you know, like they get, they get, you always hear this time of year, like, uh, people get anxious about, heading home, um, because they know they're going to get judged in some way. You know what I mean? Like, and that's, that can be difficult. Um, and then you just have family members that don't get along well together and, you know, um, find your family. Yeah. Yeah. But I, but I hope people can find moments of joy at this time.
Malcolm:I think something that a lot of. People need to take into consideration as well is Christmas doesn't have to be grand. Like, I think in the U. S. we make it so that Christmas is like the biggest holiday of the year. It's the best day of the year. I mean, for corporations it is. That's right. Actually, for corporations it's Black Friday. Right. But, it's technically Christmas. But the whole season. Yeah.
Tana:People still shop after Black Friday. Yeah,
Malcolm:and, uh, but Christmas doesn't, Christmas just has to be what you want it to be.
Tana:Yeah, yeah, and I think that's where a few people feel pressure, like, I have to
Malcolm:make it, I have to put all the lights outside, I have to, like, have this big extravagant meal, my house has to be clean, if you just, like, have a few people over and play, like, some Christmas card or board game or something like that, or, like, if you have a Switch, there's a ton of different, like, Uh, holiday things that happen in, in, uh, video games as well. Oh,
Tana:right! Yeah, yeah, I remember in Clash of Clans, there, there'd be like, little Do you know what's
Malcolm:starting tomorrow? Well, as of right now, not when this will release for Clash of Clans. Uh huh. Is it, is, uh Gingerbread Army.
Tana:What? That's awesome! Gingerbread
Malcolm:Army. There'll be a gingerbread Pekka, a gingerbread Hog Rider.
Tana:That's awesome.
Malcolm:And there's a gingerbread scenery that's that. You can buy right now as well. Oh my gosh.
Tana:That's fun. That's really fun. I like when games do stuff like that. But Black Friday, Black Friday is actually one of the things that I love about this time of year when we have money because, well, and actually sometimes when we don't, because everything goes on sale. You know what I mean? And so there's like amazing sales. And so I'll just stock up on like, Oh, these are the hairstyling products I use. This is my, my favorite shower gel. Here's the
Malcolm:thing as well about Black Friday, and this is something that Shelby realized because she was with me this Black Friday, which was you don't need to go anywhere. No, you don't! The same sales are online. Yes, they are. So you standing in line for hours to get something. Yeah. Why are you doing that to yourself?
Tana:Yeah, yeah. Although I know people who, like, they love that chaos and, like, that's their family thing and they will go do it. And to me, I have never shopped anywhere in person on Black Friday because I've never wanted to have to deal with that. So I'm super grateful over time when things became, like,
Malcolm:more online. Yeah, we were in this, like, big shopping mall complex thing, um, that was next to Frankenmuth. Cause we went to Frankenmuth on Black Friday. Oh, God. Yeah. And Shelby was stressing out because there was like, I mean, there was nowhere to park in there. And there were constantly a backup of cars that were going through and everything like that. And she was like, I just wanted to get like a wallet and stuff. And so I just pulled it up in like one minute on my phone. You're like, what about this? Yeah. Um. And I was, and she was like contacting her family and stuff, and her family said well it's this type of sale, and I was like the same sale as online, and I bet you there's more stuff online than what there is in the store. Yeah. So.
Tana:Uh, you know, there's a Kate Spade outlet in, in Hershey. I told, I told Shelby, I was like, I know you like Kate Spade, just so you know, there's an outlet in Hershey. I don't know what the prices are like. Cause you know, she usually waits until something's really, you know, but, um, it does suck. Cause
Malcolm:we're really tight on money at this Christmas as
Tana:well. I know. So, yeah, but, but I've
Malcolm:never been really, uh, I've, I'm a gift giving type person, but I don't do it on holidays. I just think of somebody and something to give and I just do it. Yeah. So I've, I've given a lot of great presents, but I don't think I've ever actually gifted a Christmas present before. Besides maybe a few things. Like, I've like, given people my old consoles, or, um, I gave my one friend, uh, my gaming chair. Um, I mean, to be fair, it is old stuff that I have, but tis the life of someone who doesn't have money, so.
Tana:Right, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I, um.
Malcolm:But also I could have sold that stuff to be
Tana:fair. So I'm not that's fair. Uh, I'm not a good gift giver. I, I don't know what it is. I just cannot figure people out. Every once in a while I hit on something, you know what I mean? Like, um, You're, you're, my parents are incredibly difficult to shop for. Actually, my mom is the worst. I think she's listening to this. Mom, you're the worst.
Malcolm:You're the worst.
Tana:The
Malcolm:worst. Um, you,
Tana:I just, let me explain because I don't want people to think like she's terrible or anything. It's just that there's nothing she ever wants. Like, she's like, I'm fine. I'm fine. Like, there's nothing. Those
Malcolm:are the best people because then you just don't give them presents.
Tana:Well, yeah. But I don't want her to think she's forgotten, but like, my dad is actually a heck of a lot easier to shop for. So I'll like send something to my dad and then I'll be like, uh, gift card for Olive Garden mom. Like, I don't like, so, so you need to be explicit mom if you want something.
Malcolm:Well, yeah, that's, that's the thing is like, I honestly don't understand.
Tana:I just realized that we're going to be at her house when she's listening to this.
Malcolm:Come
Tana:out and slap me upside the head.
Malcolm:Uh, she already did on Thanksgiving for the cigarette story. She sent me, yes, she did. She sent me a video of her scolding you about it. That was great. Um, Uh, but I, I don't understand the, like, you have to figure me out type thing. I think it's always easier. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Because I don't think it's fair to put that expectation on people. Yeah. Um, because it is true, like, some people are just better at giving gifts than other people. Yeah. And some people are just difficult to shop for. Because some people aren't very material people, so if you're asking them to give you a material thing, they're going to be like, what's that? My
Tana:favorite thing is when they have a significant other that I can ask. Because then I can be sure. Like there are times I see things for people and I think, oh, so and so would love that. And then I go, would they? You know, and I don't know for sure. And that makes me nervous. And so if I can, you know. Send a picture to their significant other, be like, would so and so like this? And they go, yes. Like, whew, you know? Um, but yeah. That's the problem
Malcolm:with anxiety too, is you just always feel like you're not getting the right thing.
Tana:Right. Seriously. It's, it's, it's stressful. Gift giving is stressful unless you are just doing out of the blue. Then it feels like there's less pressure. Like.
Malcolm:That's what I always do. I always just do stuff out of the blue or I'll just like, Like sometimes I, I want to play a game with someone and they're, and they're like, oh, I don't have the money for that game. I'll just be like, okay, I'll buy it for you.
Tana:Yeah. That's a, that's a lot easier. Like I never. I know that I, I know a bunch of stuff that Shelby likes, but I don't know what she already has and if she'd actually like X, Y, Z. And so that's why part of the reason why I wanted her to go Christmas shopping with me was because I was planning on buying her. If she picked something up, I was planning on paying for it. So like, that was better. See,
Malcolm:here's the thing is Shelby is the easiest person to shop for, because if it's a, if it's something that you truly think that she'll like, she'll love it. No matter what. Really? Really.
Tana:Oh, that's interesting. Cause I've seen, I've seen, there are so many times I've stopped myself from getting something cause I'm like, I really don't know if she'd like
Malcolm:this. Although she will get confused if, like, she says that she wants something and then someone will get her something else instead and she's like, I literally told you, right? Just said that. Yeah. But that's understandable, so. Yeah. Um,
Tana:You know, um, since we're talking about Christmas, Uh, one of the things that cracked me up when you were younger, because I know, I know that some families stress out about whether or not to do the Santa Claus thing with their kids. Yeah. And then like, how long, how long do you carry on with it? How far do you take it? Like, you know what I mean? And I remember your dad and I were in this like rare. We were just like, we're telling them the truth about everything and like, we just were like, we're not, yeah, we were like, we're not going to cover anything up including Santa. And so we told you that Santa wasn't real, that it was just a, like a fantasy thing that families play into, but all your friends think he's real. So just go along with it. Okay. And like, you know, um, and. So it was just like, but it's fun. Like, so we tried not to take away the fun part of it, but we also like, didn't want you at some point to go along and be like, my parents lied to me. There is no Santa. Um, but the funny thing is around that time, the Polar Express came out. the movie and you were convinced that we just didn't believe anymore
Malcolm:that is so funny that santa
Tana:was real and so you're like i know you don't think santa is real but santa is real
Malcolm:that is
Tana:great and that is like one of my Favorite
Malcolm:things ever. The Polar Express is still one of my favorite Christmas movies. I know. I feel like my two, two of my favorite Christmas movies are a lot of people's like bottom of the barrel lists. Oh, Polar Express
Tana:and Elf. Oh, I love Elf. There's lots of people who love Elf. There's a lot of people who hate Elf, but.
Malcolm:Exactly. Elf is very. It's very
Tana:polarizing.
Malcolm:Ha ha ha. We both came up with it at the same time.
Tana:Um. Yeah. The Polar Express. Is also polarizing. I
Malcolm:like the whole movie besides that, like Broken Toys, car that's in the train, that's the stuff of Nightmares But besides that, it's a great
Tana:movie. It, the, the, the CGI at the time freaked me out.
Malcolm:And then you have Nightmare Before Christmas, which you can watch a Halloween and at Christmas. Oh,
Tana:awesome. Twofer. Yeah. I have not seen that movie in so long. It is so good. Did you watch it recently? Yeah, well
Malcolm:around Halloween. I kind of figured. Um, but the, the, what's this song is like one of my favorite songs in a movie. Yeah. It's so good. Um, and the this is Halloween is such a classic as well. Yeah. Yeah. Tim Burton is just. Wow. Phenomenal. Yeah.
Tana:Right. Yeah. Uh, but yeah, it's, I, I should rewatch that. I haven't seen it in a while. And that's one of the things, that's one of the other things that I always feel a little sad about. Like every year I'm like, I'm going to watch all the Christmas movies, but then I never have time. And like, and so I watched like one or two. And then I'm like, well, that was sad. Cause I also like, I, I really enjoy to watch really stupid, uh, uh, what's Hallmark channel, dumb Christmas movie. So predictable and there's like, when are they going to run out of Christmas movie names? Like the Christmas date, the Christmas tree, the Christmas stable, like, like when are they going to run out? Like, you know what I mean? Um, but like sometimes I really like, like watching them cause they're just like, they're, you know, they're going to be dumb. You know, they're going to be predictable, but it's like, I want my brain to rest right now. I don't want to think about anything sad. So I just want to watch someone have a happy Christmas.
Malcolm:Fair enough. I can't deal with Hallmark movies. Not at all.
Tana:There, what was the recent thing? There was some recent kerfuffle about a Hallmark movie, but now I don't remember what it was, so never mind. But anyway, but anyway, well. I hope people enjoy their traditions. I hope people who feel sad at this time can find some moments of joy and light. Um, and whatever your traditions are, you know. They don't have to be big.
Malcolm:Yeah, we'll be back next week for New Year's and talk about New Year's resolutions, so if, uh, if Christmas wasn't that great, then you can always make New Year's great too. It doesn't always have to be a party where you watch balls drop, which I don't know why you'd want to do that, but It's the worst part of puberty. It's like
Tana:a ball dropping party.
Malcolm:Is that what, um, oh what's the, what's the Jewish? Bamitzvah? Yeah! Well, on that
Tana:note Uh, well, Welp, Welp, I think it's time to go